Cory Monteith’s Estranged Father: His Death Is ‘Tearing Me Apart’

So sad! Two months after Cory’s tragic death, his estranged father, Joe Monteith, is still grieving the loss of the son he never really knew — and never got to say goodbye to.

After being estranged fromJoe Monteith for 11 years, Cory Monteith came back into his life in 2011 when he paid his father a visit. Little did Joe know that would be the last time he ever saw his son. Joe says he wakes up heartbroken every morning because he didn’t get to say goodbye to Cory after his ex-wife Ann McGreggor excluded him from the viewing. Read on for more details.

Cory Monteith’s Dad Never Got To Say Goodbye Before Tragic Death — So Sad

Joe, 63, says the fact that he never got closure after Cory’s death is haunting him.

“It’s just ripping my insides out and tearing me apart,” he tells People tearfully.

Cory‘s body was released to his mother, Ann, on July 16, and she held a viewing at the hospital with Cory’s girlfriend and Glee co-star, Lea Michele, 26, and his older brother, Shaun Monteith. Cory’s mother decided to cremate his body in Vancouver after the viewing — so Joe never had a chance to see his son one last time.

Joe is devastated by Cory’s death, but he says his son “should have known” better than to continue his heroin use after going “code blue” from a bad drug reaction when he was 19.

“He got a shot to his heart to bring him back, and he was told at that time to use no drugs of any kind because you had your one shot,” Joe recalls.

When Cory and Joe had a heart-to-heart during his 2011 visit, Cory opened up about his new life with Lea and his struggles with drug abuse. Joe says his son promised him he would stay clean.

“I lost my son. He should have known not to touch that drug again,” Joe says. “I don’t want to see any parent lose a child over heroin.”

Mike O’Malley: Cory Monteith ‘Glee’ Tribute Is ‘Remarkable’

Joe isn’t the only father figure having a hard time saying goodbye to Cory. Mike O’Malley, who playedCory’s stepfather on Glee, will join the rest of the cast in honoring Cory with a special tribute episode on Oct. 10.

Mike had nothing but great things to say about Cory and thetribute when he appeared on Ellen on Oct 10. He said it was emotional for the cast and crew to film, and it will be heartbreaking for the audience who knew Cory as his character, Finn.

“Cory Monteith was a great guy,” Mike, 46, said. “He was my stepson on the show and a terrific, terrific actor and sadly he died this summer.”

“I think that the writers, Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan, have taken this incredible task — which was to write a story about a character that passed away — and yet honor the actor and really show the audience the love that the cast and the crew, but also that the audience, had for him,” Mike adds.

The episode will remember Finn in song, but will not reveal the cause of his death.

“It was a really remarkable episode, and I think it’s one of the most beautiful episodes they’ve ever written on that show,” Mike says. “You realize when doing this episode, it’s about someone who’s gone. [The hard thing] is that you wanted to honor him. You wanted to honor his life . . . It’s really emotional for an audience, whether you knew him personally or not.”

We continue to send our thoughts and prayers out to everyone affected by Cory’s death.